We were greeted with a glass of orange juice and our luggage was whisked away to our rooms. The hotel had just been refurbished and looked beautiful. The location is slightly out on its own but you could walk to the port or get a yellow taxi. The evening entertainment was great.

The reps are fantastic and made our holiday really special. We didn’t have any problems but felt that if we did the staff would have done anything to have sorted them out. The waiters were eager to seat you in the dining rooms and look after you quickly. They are friendly and happy all the time. Look on its Facebook page to see the great comments it gets.

The resort around the hotel is a bit barren. There is a golf course but we didn’t use it. We went to Port el Kantoui several times. We eat there and it was ok. We shopped in the little port shops but we did have to barter for a good price but we did have fun and did get some good bargains. Locals try to encourage you into their shops but we never felt frightened or pressured.

The hotel is on the beach. The lovely little man brings you your sunbeds so you just find an empty spot and wait for him. The sea did seem a bit dirty but the beach was fine, with a few bars to have lunch and drinks.

We loved this hotel and the people and tried to book again to go back 6 weeks later but it was full!!

we got moved to this hotel after we was put in a 3 star and treated badly !! we got all inclusive for nothing nice surprise. but this hotel is a wow! food is excellent fresh hot. staff polite funny, has shops on site, has internet room, bowling alley, pool tables, table tennis. mini golf, ... always had sun loungers available. pool was clean. entertainment relaxing but they do speak all 5 laungages. but fun . does have kids club . safe is free in room. cleaners are so polite. hotel grounds are clean and well maintained. 3 days at this hotel was a dream from after being in 3 star at jenine hotel.

We booked the El Diar Andalous because it was advertised as suitable for mature couples! and we needed a quite sunny week to relax. I was pleasantly surprised by the extensive grounds, the wonderful outdoor pool and the choice of where to sunbathe - on the beach, where the sand was pure white and perfect, round the pool, on the lawns or in various private hideaways. We enjoyed a pleasant day on the small terrace next to the indoor pool entirely on our own.

We were happy with the choice of food and quantity but felt this could improve. After a day or so the waiters had beers ready at our table for dinner and welcomed us.

We were surprised that tipping was expected after many transactions but the aount is only small - 1 dinar after dinner, etc. with half a dinner after a round of drinks.

We had been warned that it is usual for Tunisians to be slightly disgruntled during Ramadan, understandable so given the fast they undertake and I would like to return outside Ramaadan. Hotel staff were exceedly pleasant and friendly, some with an English sense of humour.

The best way to describe my praise for this hotel is that we have never returned to any tourist hotel before - except this one; we've been three times and may well visit it again.

The reviews posted here are pretty accurate, so I'll try not to repeat what's gone before.

Why do we return? In short, it offers the best value off-peak week in the sun that we have ever found. As other reviewers have mentioned, if you go expecting a 'British' five star standard, you could be a bit disappointed. However, if you go expecting an exceptionally nice, immaculately clean beach hotel with good facilities, a great location, a relaxed atmosphere and friendly helpful staff, you'll find you've hit the jackpot.

The Diar el Andalous has a fabulous location - right on the beach, which is of sugar-fine creamy sand. Being a typically fair-skinned sun-starved Scot, I was the only person on the beach who was whiter than the sand! There are lots of wayer sports available (not very expensive)and although there are a few traders who patrol the shoreline they don't really come into the hotel's part of the beach.

We shared the hotel's section of the beach with its wonderfully international clientele - we counted Belgian, Russian, Irish, Japanese, French, Italian and Swiss guests.

The bedrooms are simple, very clean and have the facilities you need. The hotel is really well designed; as far as we know, and certainly in our experience, you will not see another balcony from yours - just the lovely gardens or the sea. The public areas have been quite recently renovated, and are smart and comfortable.

Outside, the pool is nice - but chilly! In October, the sea was far warmer than the pool. (There's a a nice indoor pool too - a bit of a bonus.) Although we found this to be a generally child-friendly hotel there is no children's pool. It has to be said that the sun umbrellas and lounger cushions are looking a bit shabby, but that's a very minor point.

On this, our first family beach holiday, we felt thoroughly welcome - high chairs brought automatically; smiles from everyone (staff and guests) who our fourteen month old son made eye contact with; the beach attendant brought us extra beach toys; the housekeeper swept our son up for a kiss every time she met him; and the head waiter made light of the messy post-breakfast table by offering to bring in a chicken to peck up the crumbs. The buffet breakfast and dinner have sufficient choice that food for our little boy was never a problem although he did get hooked on chips from the nice poolside pizzeria at lunchtime.

The food... well, not Michelin star standard by any means but there was always something that appealed. A habit of overcooking meat and fish was the only real problem. A hint - if you fancy something lighter, opt for the fresh stir fry made by the chef as you wait. And really, the value issue applies again - the enormous all you can eat three/four course buffet, paid for in advance on a half board basis costs just

Hotel is in an excellent location leading straight onto the beach. There is a beach attendant available all day and everyday and he couldn't do enough to help! Tunisia is a lovely country to visit, all the Tunisians are very friendly and will find time to have a chat with you even if you are just going to the shop.


The sunbeds by the swimming pool are re-allocated to other people if they haven't been visited for an hour, which is a good idea!

Although the rooms are basic they are kept spotlessly clean, beds changed everyday and bathroom cleaned daily. The only downfall is the lack of tea making facilities, there aren't any so a travel kettle is recommended plus your own tea bags!

This is a lovely hotel, we had booked allocated on arrival and were very pleased with this.

The hotel is a little out of the Port el Kantoui centre but taxis are very cheap and plentiful.

The rooms are spacious with separate toilet/bidet, bathroom with shower over the bath. Toiletries were replaced as needed. The main bedroom had twin beds and a dressing table, TV on table and a chair and coffee table. There was a mini bar - which was really just a normal fridge which we kept our own stuff in, although the prices of the stuff in the mini bar were not overly priced - the same as you were paying in the bar - so it wasn't a problem to use their supplies, the maid replenished it each day.

We asked for interconnecting rooms as we are a family of four, but this wasn't possible - they don't seem to have any, we were allocated two rooms across the hall from each other, this turned out to be ok, I was concerned at first but the hotel was very safe and I was more than happy to let the children have their own room.

Breakfast was ok, don't expect a full English/Irish, but you can have fried/scrambled/boiled eggs and toast, there were sausages (but not as we know them!) and meatballs! which we left well alone. There was also the usual fruit / yogurt / many types of bread and croissants so you didn't leave hungry.

Lunch and dinner - you could opt for either when you were half board were good, although after two weeks you do get a little tired of the buffet style. There was plenty of variety of both traditional Tunisian and also European. There were two other restaurants on site and if you didn't use the buffet and were half board, you got 25% discount in the other restaurants - we did this occasionally and it made a nice change. The a la carte restaurant was excellent and really good value.

The pool was nice and never felt really crowded - we never had a problem getting loungers - there is also a private beach which also has hotel loungers and you can get hotel towels at no cost to take to the beach with you which was great. Lots of water sports on the beach at real value for money - half the price of any Spanish resorts I've been to.

All in all this was a lovely hotel, the entertainment wasn't great, but I think it was as good as any of the other hotels, the decor in the rooms was a little dated as this seems to be an older hotel - but they were spotlessly clean. The staff were very pleasant and helpful.

Although this hotel is a 5*, compared to European destinations I would rate it more like a 4* - but that seems to be the rating system in Tunisia - lots of people we spoke to in other 5* hotels thought the same.

Diar el Andalous 5 visits to this country this was the best hotel. Everyone was very friendly.

Nice location beside its own private beach great for children and adults

My mum and I (my mum is 62 and I am 19) went last July after 2 years of Cuba, for the short plane journey, French linguistics (I was studying A Level French and wanted to practice) and general cheaper holiday.

We booked allocation on arrival, and were rather disappointed when we weren't in the Mouradi Palace, but as soon as we saw the hotel, the first thought in our minds was wow! We were treated like royalty!

The staff were lovely. They tried so hard. When I spoke French to them, they spoke it back to me, and really appreciated the effort, from then on, every morning, they would greet us. One of the more dishy waiters gave me a rose every morning as I left the restaurant.

Take a taxi into Sousse for beautiful shoes for a bargain! My mum and I don't like haggling, as we feel as though they need the money more than us. So when we went into the shops, we'd say that we won't haggle, and would they give us a fair price? They where grateful for the extra few dinars, as we retained our conscious.

There is a man offering a free trip to a carpet factory. Don't do it. Our rep warned us, as they won't let you leave until you've bought one.

The entertainment let the hotel down a bit. The lack of shows, but the beduin evening was brill!

Spacious hotel decorated in Tunisian style. Rooms are large and contain mini bar and balcony. Maid service is very good, nice finishing touches such as sweets on your pillow at night and nightwear artisticly displayed on your bed. Pool and bar area is nicely laid out, 3 restaurants which includes one overlooking poolside. Great childrens entertainment during the day and evening. Staff are very friendly. Hotel has it's own private beach.